1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a walking assistance device adapted to assist the walking of a user, such as a senior citizen or a walking-disabled person.
2. Description of the Related Art
As an apparatus for assisting a user in walking, there has been known a walking assistance device which has a saddle-shaped seat as a seating member on which a user can sit and which is capable of moving as the user walks, as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 3156367. The seat is formed in a U-shape as observed sideways such that it longitudinally holds the hip portion of the user. The surface of the seat is provided with a detector with pressure sensors for detecting forces applied by the walker. Each of both sides of the seat is provided with a multi-joint leg composed of a main leg and an auxiliary leg arranged in a longitudinal direction. Each of the main leg and the auxiliary leg is formed of a multi-joint mechanism equipped with a single joint or a plurality of joints. Each joint of the legs has a joint drive mechanism constructed of a drive motor or a speed reducer. The distal end of the main leg is provided with a drive wheel having a rotary drive mechanism, a clutch, and a brake, while the distal end of the auxiliary leg is provided with a driven wheel which freely rotates.
In the walking assistance device equipped with the aforesaid seat as the seating member, the front of the seat comes in contact with the hypogastric region of the walker. Hence, while walking, the seat tends to push the soft hypogastric region and dislocate itself backward. Further, the legs and the seat interfere with each other while walking, causing the walking assistance device to rotate about a vertical axis with resultant impaired stability.